


Halo 6: The Return of the Flood

by Eva_Slayer



Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-18 14:24:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9389033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eva_Slayer/pseuds/Eva_Slayer
Summary: 5 months after Cortana activates the Guardians and declares war on the races of the galaxy, the battered UNSC and the Swords of Shangelios unite to stop Cortana's rampage. But as the alliance battles one deadly threat, another arises once again... The ancient evil feared throughout the universe, defeated but now reawakened. Witness the return of the Flood.





	1. Domain

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first Halo story I have ever tried to write. So bear with me, I'll make it as good as I can.

January 21, 2559  
5 months after the activation of the Guardians  
Unknown system  
Halo Instillation (Unknown)

 

Cortana surveyed her new and ever growing empire. Before she activated the first Guardian she found, she calculated how long it would take for her to overtake any resistance to her new army. She estimated it would take at least a year. But now, within 5 months, has nearly overtaken every major planet colonized by any species. Whether it be human, Shangeli, it didn't matter. All except the Lekgolo was culminated within her reach. She smiled to herself.  
"Things are progressing faster than I had thought. It's only a matter of time before any resistance is shattered."  
"You are forgetting one thing, Cortana." The Warden Eternal appeared at her side, his large figure overshadowing her. "The two group of Spartans still manage to come away with victories with every fight." Cortana smirked.  
"They are only small victories. Irrelevant in the grand scheme of things."  
"If I have learned one thing from fighting the Flood, it is this. Never underestimate small things."  
"Look at it this way, Warden. By the time Blue Team and those pathetic excuse of Spartans manage to pull out a major victory, we will have gained too much for it to really matter."

"That may be so, Cortana." Cortana waved opened a terminal and checked on the Milky Way. Earth had put up a fierce resistance in the first two months of the occupation, but the Promethean's quickly dispatched them. Most of the UNSC had been taken by the Guardians and Promethean's, along with the worlds controlled by the Swords of Sanghelioes and the lesser species. Suddenly, a sensor went off spewing an alarm. Cortana opened the sensor, and was surprised at what she found when she opened it.  
"A Halo ring? What could be causing a disturbance there?" She did a scan of the area it was in to find out where it was and what was causing the disturbance. The scans came back negative. "It's in an uncharted system. What could a Halo ring be doing out there?"  
"The Master Builder was responsible for creating the Halos," said the Warden. "The original 12 were thought to have been subsequently destroyed when Mendicant Bias betrayed us. But if it is what I think it is, this Halo is one of the original 12." Cortana contemplated in her head.  
"This could be worth a look. Another Halo would be useful to us."

Sanghelios

 

The Master Chief shouldered his assault rifle as a Promethean Knight appeared in front of him. He rolled to the right of it and fired at its weakspot, angering it. The knight yelled and fired its Scattershot at him, missing terribly. He continued to fire at its right weakspot until it exploded, taking out part of its back armor. The Knight yelled and it helmet opened, revealing its face. Chief exploited this and switched his MA5B for his M6D Magnum. Before the knight could close its helmet the Chief fired and watched as the .45 round hit it in the face. The Knight let out one last screech of pain as it disinigrated. Chief sighed. It had been 5 months since he had found Cortana, 5 months since she started her new war against the galaxy. Her betrayal hurt him. They had what he thought was an unbreakable bond, forged in battle against the Covenant, the Prometheans and the Flood. He scratched the scar on his neck, given to him by a Flood infection form during the battle on Halo Installation 04. The infection form got him by surprise and nearly turned him into one of them. If it wasn't for Cortana's quick thinking and using a pulse from his shield to kill it, neither of them would've escaped. He reloaded his pistol and shouldered his rifle, reloading that weapon as well. He walked back to the base, anxious to hear some news from the Arbiter. 

Spartan Linda-58 lied on the ground as she polished her Oracle Sniper Rifle. It had been 4 hours since the Chief had been out on reconnaissance. It normally didn't take him this long to do recon, and despite the fact she knew he knew what he was doing, she couldn't help but feel worried. She had know John since he was 6. Everyone on Blue Team knew him from that age. The training, the augmentations, the Human-Covenant War. It shaped them into family. John and Linda May have had the strongest connection because of the events during the Fall of Reach. 

Because she had died in his hands. After boarding the Covanent ship holding the Circumfrences' navigational data, they attempted to open a hatch in the side of the Autumn that they could escape to. Linda jumped into space to open the door. When she did, a camoflauged Elite hit her several time with a Plasma Pistol, and overcharging it on her chest/neck area. John rushed her to the infirmry, and it wasn't until after the events of Installation 04 that she was recuperated by Doctor Halsey. Linda admired John as a leader, but even more as someone close to her in combat and family. But after the events on Requim, John became distant from Blue Team. And he was becoming ever more distant after Cortana's betrayal. He volentereed for lone-wolf missions more often than he did since before Blue Team was reunited. She knew Cortana's had a rigorous effect on his psyche. She sighed loudly. She dropped the cloth she was using and picked up her sniper, shouldering it and surveying the area. The first thing she was was John-117 coming into her field of view. Linda lowered her rifle and walked toward him. "Chief." "Linda." "What took so long?" "Ran into a few squads of Promeatheans on the way back. I'm fine." "Okay. Arbiter and Locke finished their plan on finding a way to board the Guardian and destroying it. Their waiting for you now." "Thanks for the info. I'll meet them there." Chief walked past her, and she couldn't help but detect a hint of bitterness in his voice. She sighed and looked up in the sky at the lone Guardian looming over Sanghelios.


	2. Well Laid Plan Up Your Well Laid Ass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chief and crew formulate and execute a plan to board and destroy the Guardian standing guard over Sanghelioes and free up space for the UNSC and Swords of Sanghelioes to use as leeway against Cortana and the Prometheans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone catch the reference I made? ;)

January 21, 2559  
Sanghelios  
Alpha Base

The Master Chief walked inside the war room of Alpha Base. After Blue Team and Fireteam Osiris escaped Genesis and landed on Sanghelioes, the resistance of Sanghelioes took cover inside abandoned Sangheli ruins in the hope that Cortana and the Prometheans would not search there for them. It had been working for 5 months, so Chief never saw a reason to retreat from the ruins. The Swords had been expanding farther out of their established territory and tried to recapture some of their lost land from Cortana, which made for a very good distraction to keep Alpha secure. "Chief," said Spartan Jameson Locke. "The plan is ready." 

"Good. Where is the Arbiter?" 

"On his way. Got caught up in internal affairs." 

"I see." A few moments later, the Arbiter walked through the door and joined the two Spartans. 

"Chief. Locke. If you'll pardon my tardiness." "It's alright," said Chief. "Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum will be leading our fighters on this assault. He has already been briefed on this battle plan." Chief nodded. Rtas 'Vadum was a valued leader in the Sangheli leadership, and his expertise would help out well in the coming battle. "Here is how the plan goes, Chief." Locke walked to the table in the war room and pulled up an image of a Forerunner vessel that Chief had never seen before. "This is a new Forerunner ship Arbiter's scouts found during the Battle of Arion. It looks to be a troop transport of some sort, but these have been seen going to and from the Guardian above Sanghelioes." The Arbiter spoke up next. 

"The theory is that whoever is commanding the Prometheans here is giving orders from this Guardian." Locke spoke back up. 

"The plan is for us to storm this ship and take it to the Guardian with a Havok nuke inside. We'll plant the nuke in the center, and its shields are still up, blow it to hell. The explosion should take care of the Guardian and any Prometheans still inside when it blows." "Have your scouts pinpointed its preference in landing locations, Arbiter?," asked Chief. "Yes. It's most common point of landing is here." Arbiter pointed at the map on the table. "In the Irenian Deadlands outside of Arion. This is one of their forward operating bases on Sanghelios, and a sizable force is there on site." "How many?" "About 200 Promeatheans, give or take. But we will need a distraction for this plan to be successful. Locke holds the key to this plan." Chief looked at Locke. "What do you got?" "Like Arbiter said, we're gonna need a distraction for this plan to work." Locke pulled up an image of the Covenant city Sunion. "The majority of the POW's captured by the Promeatheans during the opening months of Cortana's campaign against us are held on Sunion. What the Arbiter and I were thinking is before we board the Guardian, someone leads our forces in the charge to free the POW's from Cortana's grasp. It would ensure the ship would come down from the Guardian, and not only ensure a one-way ticket to it, but also give us more manpower. If this plays out right, it is a win-win situation." "We should not underestimate them, Spartan Locke," said Arbiter. "We must take Sunion by suprise, and in order for the attack to be successful we must attack with most of our remaining firepower." "So Chief, do you want to board the Guardian, or less the attack on Sanghelios?" "I'll board the Guardian. I have more experience in space combat." "Okay. Arbiter has volunteered to join you on your missions, and you can take a couple more if you wish. The rest will join the assault on Sunion." "I'll take you and Linda with me. We'll need her skill with the sniper. And your a younger fighter than I am." "Fitting choices Spartan. We shall prepare for the coming fight." The Arbiter turned and walked out if the control room. Locke looked at the Chief. "Are you ready for this sir?" "No. But it's our best shot at taking out that Guardian."

Spartan Edward Buck tinkered with his M6D Tactical Magnum in Alpha Base's armory. 5 months had taken a toll on his weapons, and he wanted them in shape for the coming fights. But he had other things on his mind. When the fight began he was optimistic that the fight could end sooner rather than later. Now he didn't know if it would end the right way. He mind drifted to Veronica Dare, his courtship. He missed her dearly, and wanted nothing more than to see her again. But they had a fight to win. Buck, satisfied with his tinkering, took the pistol off the table and shoved it back in his holster. A moment later his radio went off, Spartan Kelly signaling him. "Spartan Buck," her English accent filled his speakers in his helmet. "Your needed in the hangar. We have a plan." 

"A new plan huh? Hopefully this one works better than the last two. I'll meet you there." Buck stood up and walked out of the armory, praying that the plan they had in store would work.

Buck walked into the hangar, where Fireteam Osiris (excluding Locke), Blue Team (excluding the Master Chief), and Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum stood near a Sword Phantom. Buck found it a little unusual for the Shipmaster to show up for a meeting with the Spartans. 'This ought to be good.' "Glad you can finally join us, Buck," quirked Tanaka. "Just doing a little tinkering. What's up?" "We have a new plan to deal with the Guardian over Sanghelios," spoke Fred-104. "We're part of the distraction op to guarantee its success." "Yes," spoke up 'Vadum. He pulled out a holo disk and activated it, showing the sea city of Sunion. "You and most of the other Swords of Sanghelios will attack Sunion and free the captured warriors there. This will distract the Promethean's long enough for a Forerunner ship to be captured by the Arbiter and your Master Chief and board the Guardian, as well as give us extra manpower." "Oh yay," muttered Buck. "Back to Kamino we go." "My ship will drop reinforcement periodically during the assault. You may also call in airstrikes if you so need it." 'Vadum cut off the holo disk and put it away. "Any questions?" "Where are the majority of the prisoners located?," asked Kelly. "In the center of the city. Fireteam Osiris fought there previously in a campaign against the Covenant, so you will find their expertise in the city to be much needed." "Understood." Fred turned to face them. "We'll be heading out at 1000 hours tomorrow. So get your gear ready and prepare for combat. Dismissed."

**Author's Note:**

> Depending on whether or not Atriox survives Halo Wars 2 will determine if he will be a main villain in this story. I have a few concepts I have worked up with him being center in it. Halo Wars 2 comes out in a month, and I can't wait! Regardless, the Banished will play a big role in this story.


End file.
